Belles and Ringers

breakfast-table the next morning. Her scheme of seclusion-of a quiet party which, contenting themselves with their own society, should seek for no other amusement than was compri

ramme of the day,-how they were all to lunch at the mess of the

t she saw at once that it would be hopeless to stem the tide upon this occasion. With all her guests on a lovely spring day anxious to attend an entertainment not three miles off, what was there to be said? No possible pretext could be devised for preventing them. Why, oh, why had she persuaded that graceless dragoon to leave Aldershot and share the peace and tranquillity of home? She might have remembered how foreign peace a

d the soft south-west wind just rippled the waters of the treacherous Channel and fluttered the flags with which the huts were decorated. Over every mess-room flew the regimental burgee as a signal that therein was lunch for all comers; while in front of those near the course, flanked on either side by rows of chairs and benches, were pitch

t her fellow-conspirator of last night. "May I hope that the sw

e over-tired. I regret to say there was a little irritability manifest in my carriage on the way home;" a

o point him out to me. But, ah, look! here they come!" and as she spoke the girl pointed to some half-score figures who, clad in gaily-coloured jerseys, came racing down over six flights of hurdles. The leading three or four were well together till they cleared the

this is all about; who

, please come here and

they c

won the quarter of a mile race at Aldershot last year. It becomes a case of Rockcliffe versus Aldershot, and of course all the sympathies of Rockcliffe are with their own champion. I don't think, Miss Chipchase, they will throw things at us; but you mustn't expect Jim's

t's of no use denying it, but I am an arrant gambler at heart; I must and will have a gamble on this. Will you please put five

can be no manner of difficulty about that. I have backed

ray let Captain Bloxam know that the fortunes

been far too accustomed to regard backing an opinion as the strongest proof of sincere belief in it to feel in the least shocked at anybody holding similar views. She had indeed told her husband, as soon as the fact of her son being entered for this race came to her knowledge, that she must h

Bloxam?" inquired Lionel Beauchamp, who was sitt

be with my brothers; but with us girls I don't know that it works quite so well. We can all dance, but we can none of us draw. We all play lawn tennis pretty well, but we can't play the piano;

d the pretension to which entraps us into much foolish speaking. We go to all sorts of entertainments we don't care about, simply because other people go. You must not b

e invented the game, and in the old days stood pre-eminent in it. However, we now number so ma

son draughts then hi

e old man was be

e England, and the race by all accounts is reduced pretty well to a match between them. But see, there go the competitors!" and Beauchamp

the praiseworthy but mistaken attempts of a gentleman in a dark blue jersey to get off somewhat in advance of his companions-an undue eagerness which, having resulted in his twice jumping off before the word, terminates in his getting two or three yards the worst of the start when the word "go" is finally given. A green and white jersey dashes to the front, and assuming a longish lead, brings them along at a great pace. Next come the all white of Jim Bloxam and the pink of Montague running side by side and eyeing each other closely. They take but little heed of their leader, as they know very well that he can never last the quarter of a mile at the pace that he is going. As they anticipated, the green and white champion is in difficulties before they have travelled half-way, and the two favourites come on sid

on was made known: "not only have we lost our money, but there will be no hold

don't think Mr. Montague ca

n Bloxam struggled splendidly, and Mr. Montague

s. "The closeness of the contest will not pr

in Conyers; remember we have not yet been introduced to the he

se, for here come the two antagonists. And as he s

ointed all Todborough; I did my level best, but it was of no use. Montagu

borough people, Mr. Montague. As you may easily suppose, b

myself indebted to Bloxam's putting in an appearance for a victory worth

itary men call the weakness of underrating our opponent.

" he rejoined, smiling; "and that another time

lders. "We are obstinate in our convictions at Todborough, are we not, Lady

ncing in her eyes, that this was not mere idle talk, and awaited the disclosure of her design with considerable curiosity; while Lady Mary, although putting Sylla down as the most auda

s reversed when run over again, but you must excuse my clinging t

the error of underrating the enemy, and Todborough has paid the penalty of defeat. Had we deemed you

est pitch, whilst Jim Bloxam stared at the fair speaker with undisguised astonishment. He most certainly deemed that he was fleeter

that point than you can be, Miss Chipchase. I think, if you ask Bloxam, he will tell you that he not only can beat

affairs; and yet I have heard my father say that the best judge of racing he ever knew was a woman, and I am sure some of us take the best of you

on't know it if there

ad not run such a severe race to-day, I would chall

elt no little elated at defeating Bloxam, and did not relish any disparagement of his victory. "

eaten. If you dare, I'll wager my bracelet"-and she touched a very handsome bangle on

afraid of none other. Don't blame me if I rob you of your bracelet; but remember, Miss Chipchase, this match was

ed. "Will somebody plea

nt h

then he shook his head; for he regarde

served dispositions little given to vaunt their accomplishments. Both Braybrooke and Jim Bloxam, having been appealed to by Captain Conyers, said they could form no idea whatever of his capabilities. They had never heard him say a word about running; and if he ever had done anything in that way, it was odd that he had never mentioned it in the smoking-room last night, when, in consequence of Jim's entry for the "All Army Cup," discussion had

match was here interrupted by the appearance of Lionel Beauchamp, whom Mr. Sartoris had duly fetched from the other side of the

e how she liked this familiar address, "I have sent for you to preserve me from the fruits of my rashness. I

amp, "that Mr. Montague has no wish

o wish whatever to press it. The match, I assur

tinacy, not my rashness. I can be obstinate, you know, L

at you will probably lose your bracelet; but I cannot

u will win, I feel. Nobody here believes it but me; but I know it." Then, leaning towards him, she said, wi

r mother at hearing her late cavalier so familiarly addressed by such an extremely pretty girl

and as soon as I have fitted myself out with those, I

subject of animated discussion. But if the Engineer had been favourite before, he was still more so now. With all the prestige of having beaten the Aldershot champion, it was but natural that the camp should proffer liber

Lionel, quietly, as the bugle summoned the c

Blanche. "All our sympathies are of cours

Montague would find me troublesome to get r

n considerably wounded by that young lady's disbelief in his prowess. She had contrived, as she had most assuredly intended, to irritate him by her persistent scepticism as to his being the swift-footed Achilles he so loved to pose as. He determined to show her and all other unbelievers what he could really do. He would make a veritable exhibition of his antagonist. He would cut him down and run clean away from him. Fired with this idea, he shot well to the front, and came along the next hundred yards at a great pace, and a shout went up from the marquees near the winning-post of "Montague wins anyhow!" But we all know what comes of the attempt to astonish the gallery. Although the Engineer had undoubtedly established a strong lead, yet his w

at Montague advanced to present Sylla with the cup that she had won. He feared that she would be merciless in this her hour of triumph, and dreaded the bant

to it, for my champion is not even a soldier. I know without Lionel telling me that I have been very lucky to save my brace

runette not only to call him "Lionel," but apparently to know all his habits and capabilities? She felt, too, exceedingly wroth at the manner in which Sylla had unexpecte